Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 11, Shloka 8

कैकेयीवरप्रार्थना

Kaikeyi Demands the Two Boons

Devanagari script

आत्मना वात्मजैश्चान्यैर्वृणेयं मनुजर्षभम्।तेन रामेण कैकेयि शपे ते वचनक्रियाम्।।।।

Transliteration

ātmanā vātmajaiś cānyair vṛṇeyaṁ manujarṣabham | tena rāmeṇa kaikeyi śape te vacanakriyām ||

Translation

即便在我自己、我的诸子以及一切他人之上，我也愿选择罗摩——人中至胜者。凯凯伊啊，我以那位罗摩起誓，必成就你的所求。

Word by Word

• आत्मना: by myself
• आत्मना: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/करण), एकवचन; instrumental ‘by myself’

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• आत्मजैः: by (my) sons
• आत्मजैः: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/करण), बहुवचन; instrumental plural ‘by (my) sons’

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction ‘and’)

• अन्यैः: by others
• अन्यैः: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/करण), बहुवचन; instrumental plural ‘by others’

• वृणेयम्: I would choose
• वृणेयम्: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृ (धातु; वृञ् वरणे)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘I would choose’

• मनुजर्षभम्: the best of men
• मनुजर्षभम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुज-ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक; मनुज + ऋषभ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मनुजानाम् ऋषभः) ‘bull among men’; object of वृणेयम्

• तेन: by that
• तेन: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• रामेण: by Rama
• रामेण: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• कैकेयि: O Kaikeyi
• कैकेयि: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• शपे: I swear
• शपे: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ते: to you
• ते: सम्प्रदान
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• वचनक्रियाम्: fulfilment of (your) word
• वचनक्रियाम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन-क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

O proud lady, don't you know there exists for me no woman dearer than you and no man other than Rama who is the best among men.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī
• Rāma

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

The verse dramatizes the absolute nature of a king’s pledged word: once sworn, it is treated as overriding personal preference—though later events question how vows should align with righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha reinforces his oath by declaring Rāma’s supreme value to him and still pledges to execute Kaikeyī’s demand.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s preeminence (manujarṣabha) is emphasized, functioning as the moral ‘seal’ upon the king’s promise.